We attended Roseville United Brethren Church. I don’t know what we would have done if we didn’t! My wife Joanne had a tumor in her lower left jaw. Joanne underwent major surgery three times over a period of two years. Each surgery took at least 12 hours. Each surgery was a failure despite fervent daily prayer. I was alone with three young children, holding down a job and tried to visit frequently.

I became extremely angry with God. There was no answer to prayer. Joanne was being systematically taken apart and put back together again by the surgeons! In my eyes God was worse than my Dad who assaulted my mother and us. In my eyes God was allowing Joanne to suffer and become disfigured, my Dad couldn’t have done a better job! I hated God, I yelled at God, I shook my fist at God, I cursed God.

Our Christian family at Roseville shared our burden for a long duration of time with continued prayer, meals, child care, visits, cleaning and laundry. After one of the surgeries Joanne’s heart was beating 180 times a minute for hours. I called our Pastor and the prayer chain went into action immediately. It looked like I would lose her. God answered. I know that without the prayers of our Christian family at Roseville and the prayers of many unknown prayer warriors I may have lost her and without prayer I would have lost my faith and possibly my salvation.